A PDU Session establishment may correspond to:

- a UE initiated PDU Session Establishment procedure.

- a UE initiated PDU Session handover from EPS to 5GS.

- a Network triggered PDU Session Establishment procedure.

1. From UE to AMF: NAS Message (S-NSSAI(s), DNN, PDU Session ID, Request type, Old PDU
Session ID, N1 SM container (PDU Session Establishment Request)).
In order to establish a new PDU Session, the UE generates a new PDU Session ID.

2. The AMF determines that the message corresponds to a request for a new PDU Session
based on that Request Type indicates "initial request" and that the PDU Session ID is not
used for any existing PDU Session(s) of the UE. If the NAS message does not contain an S-
NSSAI, the AMF determines a default S-NSSAI for the requested PDU Session either according
to the UE subscription, if it contains only one default S-NSSAI, or based on operator policy

3. . From AMF to SMF: Either Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext Request (SUPI, S-NSSAI(s),

PDU Session ID, AMF ID, Request Type, PCF ID, Priority Access, , User location information,
Access Type

4. if the SMF has not yet registered for this PDU Session ID, then the SMF registers with the
UDM using Nudm_UECM_Registration (SUPI, DNN, PDU Session ID) for a given PDU Session.
As a result, the UDM stores following information: SUPI, SMF identity, SMF address and the
associated DNN and PDU Session ID. The UDM may further store this information in UDR by
Nudr_DM_Update (SUPI, Subscription Data, UE context in SMF data).

5. From SMF to AMF: Either Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext Response (Cause, SM Context

ID or N1 SM container (PDU Session Reject (Cause))) or an
Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Response depending on the request received in step
3. If the SMF received Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext Request in step 3 and the SMF is
able to process the PDU Session establishment request, the SMF creates an SM context and
responds to the AMF by providing an SM Context Identifier.

6. The SMF selects one or more UPFs. In case of PDU Session Type IPv4 or IPv6 or IPv4v6, the
SMF allocates an IP address/prefix for the PDU Session.

7. The SMF sends an N4 Session Establishment/Modification Request to the UPF and provides
Packet detection, enforcement and reporting rules to be installed on the UPF for this PDU
Session.

8. . The UPF acknowledges by sending an N4 Session Establishment/Modification Response. If

CN Tunnel Info is allocated by the UPF, the CN Tunnel Info is provided to SMF in this step.

9. SMF to AMF: Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer (PDU Session ID, N2 SM

information (PDU Session ID, QFI(s), QoS Profile(s), CN Tunnel Info, S-NSSAI from the Allowed
 NSSAI, Session-AMBR, PDU Session Type, User Plane Security Enforcement information, UE
Integrity Protection Maximum Data Rate), N1 SM container (PDU Session Establishment
Accept (QoS Rule(s) and QoS Flow level QoS parameters if needed for the QoS Flow(s)
associated with the QoS rule(s), selected S-NSSAI(s), allocated IPv4

10. AMF to (R)AN: N2 PDU Session Request (N2 SM information, NAS message (PDU Session ID,
N1 SM container (PDU Session Establishment Accept))).

11. (R)AN to UE: The (R)AN may issue AN specific signalling exchange with the UE that is related
with the information received from SMF. For example, in case of a NG-RAN, an RRC
Connection Reconfiguration may take place with the UE establishing the necessary NG-RAN
resources related to the QoS Rules for the PDU Session request received earlier

12. (R)AN to AMF: N2 PDU Session Response (PDU Session ID, Cause, N2 SM information (PDU
Session ID, AN Tunnel Info, List of accepted/rejected QFI(s), User Plane Enforcement Policy
Notification))

If the (R)AN rejects QFI(s) the SMF is responsible of updating the QoS rules and QoS Flow
level QoS parameters if needed for the QoS Flow associated with the QoS rule(s) in the UE
accordingly.

13. Uplink data started

Background - The SMF sends an N4 Session Establishment/Modification Request to the UPF

and provides Packet detection, enforcement and reporting rules to be installed on the UPF
for this PDU Session.

14. Downlink data started